I was minding my own businesswhen it happened.A flash of brown.A single ringing blow, then a dull thud.That was all it tookto end the mourningdove. How our window shookto look upon its brutal work.At least it was quick. A useless mercy.To spend a life singingjust to go out making that sound.To have the entire sky, wide openand die trying to fly into a room.I did the only thing I could: go outsideto make sure. I knelt by the lifeless body,feathers all askew. It seemed to look back up at me. Its eye a planet — gonestill, its final actan accusation. Days later, what happenedon the other side of the glass never touched me.I touch the window, stained now.A casual stroke of redlike a hurried kissgoodbye.————————————–Grace called us from Midland, Canada.voicemailpoems.org/submit/facebook.com/voicemailpoemsx.com/voicemailpoemsbsky.app/profile/voicemailpoems.bsky.socialinstagram.com/voicemailpoems